


If You'll Have Me

by deadpoetianto



Series: Make the Most of It [1]
Category: Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Fluff, M/M, ilikelove, mattwasfeelingsoft, whatcanisay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 22:08:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28324329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deadpoetianto/pseuds/deadpoetianto
Summary: In which Jack and Ianto both have surprises for each other for Christmas.
Relationships: Jack Harkness/Ianto Jones
Series: Make the Most of It [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2074317
Comments: 15
Kudos: 46





	If You'll Have Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MrSandman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSandman/gifts).



> Al, I can only apologise for how off-course I went, I hope you enjoy it anyway.
> 
> Also a note for readers: this is a Ianto-survived-CoE type beat and also, since I haven't watched Miracle Day past the first episode, disregard anything that happens in that because I have no idea what that shit's about.
> 
> Merry Christmas! (yes it's 10pm on Christmas Day SHUT. it's still Christmas.)

**Three weeks to Christmas**

The air was cold on Jack’s skin as he approached the animal rescue, and he wrapped his coat around himself tighter. Jack considered carefully as he got closer to the door; was this really his smartest idea? Getting Ianto a puppy? He didn’t necessarily _seem_ like a dog person. But, Jack thought, with all the time he spent alone in the Archives while the rest of the team were out fighting aliens, Ianto could use some company.

The rescue had no shortage of dogs to choose from, and if they’d let him, Jack would have taken them all. He restrained himself, though, as he browsed the enclosures, spending at several minutes with each dog. He was there for hours before eventually lingering on a small, funny-looking dog with one brown eye and one blue, and blue merle fur that reminded him of an Australian Shepherd. This young dog was short, though, and long. To Jack, it looked like a Corgi dressed as an Australian Shepherd.

A rescue worker saw Jack looking at the animal and wandered over. “We call him Buddy,” she said, “he looks funny, right?”

“Yeah,” Jack replied, straightening up from where he had been crouching.

“He’s a Corgi mixed with an Australian Shepherd,” the worker explained, “only a few months old. He’s a cutie, though.”

“Yeah, he is.”

“Do you want to go in and say hi?”

“Sure,” Jack smiled. The worker unlocked the door, and Jack stepped into Buddy’s cage. The stunted dog wagged his tail happily, trotting over to Jack and curiously sniffing at his feet. “Hi,” Jack lowered himself to the floor, allowing Buddy to crawl all over him, “hi, Buddy.”

Jack arranged to pick Buddy up on Christmas Eve, and immediately went out and bought everything the puppy could ever need and more, filling the boot of the Torchwood car with a bed, cage, toys and food. He wasn’t sure where to keep it until Christmas, but guessed he could find somewhere in the Hub to shove it all. Jack grinned to himself the whole way back to the Hub, a feeling of giddiness bubbling in his stomach. A puppy. This was exciting. Jack had to remind himself that this was _Ianto’s_ puppy, not his. Still. A puppy!

Jack’s phone buzzed, Ianto’s ID popping up, and Jack pressed his earpiece. “What’s up, sweetheart?”

“Where have you been all afternoon?” Ianto’s voice asked suspiciously, and Jack grinned.

“Nowhere,” he teased. “Weevil hunting.”

“Without me?” Ianto’s voice sounded momentarily hurt, “you’re lying.”

“Can a man not have any secrets?”

“Hmm. We still on for tonight?”

“’Course. I just need to stop off at the Hub first, then I’ll be there. See you in a bit.” Jack hung up, swinging into the car park.

Ianto shoved his mobile in his pocket, narrowing his eyes. Jack was up to something. Well, two could play at that game. He wasn’t exactly sure what he was hiding yet, though. Finding a Christmas present for Jack was proving harder than Ianto had anticipated. What do you get a timeless immortal for Christmas?

Jack walked into his and Ianto’s flat, calling out as he shut the door behind him. “Honey, I’m home!”

“You do that every time, and each time, it gets less funny.” Ianto frowned as he plodded past, already in pyjama bottoms and one of Jack’s old t-shirts.

“I think it’s funny,” Jack hung up his coat, following Ianto through to the living room, where a netted-up Christmas tree lay on the floor. “Right. Let’s do this.”

“Let’s do this,” Ianto repeated, and they each took a side of the tree, lifting it into its stand. As they snipped the ties holding the branches against the tree, Ianto frowned at the pine needles being spread all over the living room floor. “Why can’t we just get a plastic one? Much less mess.”

“No, no, that’s not as Christmassy,” Jack argued, “you gotta have the real thing.”

“But—”

“Ah! I’m an immortal, I’ve had more Christmasses, therefore I know best.”

Ianto scowled. “You can’t pull the immortal card every time you want to win an argument!"

“Mm, yes I can,” Jack smirked.

Ianto grumbled, tugging the box of Christmas decorations over. Jack smiled to himself, taking out the fairy lights that only seemed to get more tangled every year and beginning to untangle them. “In my century, these things untangled themselves.”

“They still celebrate Christmas in your time?”

“Some people did.”

Ianto nodded, rifling through the box for the star. “Do you miss Christmas back home? In your time?”

Jack shrugged, slowly unwrapping the lights. “I’ve been out of my time for… a long time. I don’t remember a lot of my Christmases back home. No use in focusing on times I barely remember when I can focus on Christmas with you."

Ianto smiled softly, kissing Jack’s cheek. They finished decorating the tree, bickering over who got to put the star on top. “You did it last year!” Ianto argued, “and you put it on the one at the Hub!”

“Because it’s my Hub!”

“I’m putting it on the tree,” Ianto grumbled, snatching the star from Jack, who laughed to himself. “As you said, you’ve had more Christmases, so _you’ve_ put the star on more.”

“Winding you up is so damn _easy_ ,” Jack grinned, snaking his arms around Ianto’s waist and hugging him warmly from behind. “Go on, grumpy pants, put the star on top.”

Ianto furrowed his eyebrows sternly, reaching up and carefully placing the gold star on the top of the tree. The two men stood back and admired their handiwork. “See? I said a real tree was more Christmassy,” Jack said, and Ianto rolled his eyes, flopping onto the sofa and hitting play on _Love Actually_.

**Two weeks to Christmas**

Ianto was still stuck on what to get Jack, meanwhile Jack had successfully hidden all Buddy-related things in a broom closet of the Hub he had no idea existed until he went looking and acted painfully suspiciously whenever Ianto inquired about Christmas. He was proving to be terrible at keeping a secret, or at least this one.

“Hey,” Ianto said as he walked into Jack’s office with his coffee, placing it on Jack’s desk and kissing his head. Jack smiled as Ianto draped his arms around Jack’s shoulders, hugging him from behind. He lowered his head so his mouth was by Jack’s ear. “I’m onto you.”

“Oh, yeah?” Jack grinned, turning to look at Ianto.

“Yeah. You’re hiding something.”

“Oh, Ianto, it’s _Christmas!_ Can I have no tricks up my sleeve?”

“No,” Ianto smiled, pecking Jack’s lips before heading for the door. “I’m watching you!” He called as he left.

“Mhmm!” Jack shook his head, chuckling to himself and going back to his work.

Gwen was typing away on Tosh’s computer, and Ianto lingered on his way back to the Archives, sucking in a breath and giving in. “Gwen?”

“Yeah?” Gwen hummed, not looking away from her screen.

“Do you have any suggestions on what I should get Jack for Christmas?”

Gwen stopped typing, turning to look at Ianto. “You still haven’t gotten him anything?”

“No! I can’t figure out what to get him, I mean, what exactly do you get an immortal for Christmas?” Ianto threw up his arms, exasperated.

Gwen pondered. It was a good question. “A jumper?”

“A jum-a jumper?! Have you ever seen him wear a jumper before?”

“No! But he’s _your_ boyfriend, Ianto, not mine. You have to decide what to get him.” Ianto sighed, and Gwen thought for a moment, an idea forming. “ _Or_ … you guys have been dating for, what, three years? Maybe you should give him a ring.”

“A ring?” Ianto took a moment to catch up before his eyes grew wide. “Wait, you mean-?” Ianto looked around to ensure Jack, or Tosh and Owen, weren’t hanging around before lowering his voice. “ _Propose_?”

Gwen shrugged with a grin, walking off and leaving Ianto to think about what she’d said. He glanced over at Jack’s office, watching Jack flick through papers. He couldn’t say he hadn’t considered it. He reckoned it was the whole ‘immortal’ thing holding him back. Jack would watch him grow old and die, whereas he wouldn’t have aged a day. It made the idea of marriage seem a lot more daunting, somehow.

**One week to Christmas**

Jack was finding his four-legged secret harder to keep by the day, and Ianto was _really_ cutting it close for Christmas presents. Gwen’s suggestion had been following him around the whole week, and he was drawn to every jewellery shop. He spent the majority of the time he wasn’t in the Archives staring at Jack (not that he didn’t do that anyway, but this time he was thinking about something) and considering the idea of marriage more and more. Yes, their marriage wouldn’t follow the course of other, normal marriages where one half _wasn’t_ immortal, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. They would certainly have fun. Oh, the fun they’d have. It was four days until Christmas, when Jack arose before Ianto and, thinking he was still asleep, gently kissed Ianto’s forehead and brushed his nose against his that Ianto knew.

He was going to marry this man.

Concocting an excuse to take the morning off work, Ianto pulled on his suit and headed out into town, on a mission to find a ring. Finding the jewellers’, Ianto spent near half an hour carefully selecting from a range of rings that all looked almost identical. He eventually chose a simple, sterling silver band with a small line of diamonds on the top, opting for a matching one for him.

“Would you like them engraved?” The jeweller asked, and Ianto pondered for a moment before an idea began to form.

“Yes, actually.”

Ianto arranged to pick the rings up on Christmas Eve, smiling to himself as he walked out of the shop. 

**Christmas Eve**

Jack and Ianto were suspicious of each other all day. Both had something up their sleeves, both knew the other had a surprise, and it was infuriating them _both_. Ianto had mysteriously disappeared around noon, and slipped back in half an hour later to find Jack behind the door, his arms folded. “Jesus!” Ianto cursed, jumping.

“Where have you been?”

“None of your business,” Ianto shook off his coat and hung it up. “Don’t be nosey.”

“I like being nosey,” Jack was hot on Ianto’s heels as he walked through the flat, “nosey is fun.”

“ _It’s Christmas! Can I have no tricks up my sleeve?_ ” Ianto impersonated Jack’s accent as he repeated what he’d told him two weeks earlier, and Jack grumbled.

“You’ll find out tomorrow, so calm down,” Ianto said, “now, I really hope you’re not going to follow me into the bathroom and will let me pee in peace.”

Jack huffed dramatically, spinning on his heels and stomping off. Ianto shook his head with a smile, locking himself in the bathroom and taking out a ring box. He cracked it open, carefully taking out the ring slotted inside and reading the inscription on the inside of the ring. _Make the most of it_ , referencing their conversation in the warehouse a few years earlier. Ianto smiled, putting the ring back and snapping the box shut, shoving it in his pocket.

Jack had decided that, rather than struggling to hide a puppy all night, he’d give Ianto his Christmas present early. He snuck off late afternoon to collect Buddy’s things from the Hub, followed by picking up Buddy. Meanwhile, Ianto sat at home, wondering where is boyfriend had gotten to.

“Hey,” Jack grinned, crouching down as Buddy trotted towards him, guided by one of the rescue workers. “Hey, Buddy.”

“He’s all yours,” the worker smiled, handing Buddy's lead over to Jack, “Merry Christmas.”

Jack’s excitement was through the roof as he lifted Buddy into the car, sitting in the driver’s seat and placing Buddy on his bed that sat on the passenger seat. “Come on, Buddy,” he beamed, “let’s go surprise Ianto.”

On the drive home, Jack dialled Ianto’s number.

“Hello?” The Welshman answered, sitting on the sofa in his pyjamas, “where are you?”

“I went to get your Christmas present,” Jack smiled, “close your eyes and keep them closed until I say.”

“But you’re not even here!”

“Just close ‘em!” Jack pulled into the block of flats’ car park. “I’m on my way up now.”

Ianto sighed. “Fine,” he said, hanging up the phone and closing his eyes. A few minutes later, the key turned in the door and Jack walked in.

“Keep your eyes closed!” He yelled.

“ _They are closed!_ ”

“Okay, okay,” Jack hurried through to the living room, Buddy cradled in his arm, and sat next to Ianto on the sofa, holding Buddy—who was wearing a big, red gift bow around his neck—up to Ianto’s face so he could lick it. “Okay, open them.”

Ianto flinched at Buddy’s wet nose on his cheek, opening his eyes to find puppy eyes staring right back at him. His mouth dropped open. “Oh, my God.”

“His name is Buddy,” Jack grinned, letting Ianto lift the pup from him, “like the elf.”

Ianto’s face lit up as Buddy began to squirm all over him, his little tail wagging wildly. “Hi,” Ianto laughed, “hi, Buddy. Oh, my God, you’re _adorable_.”

“You like him?” Jack asked with an eager smile.

“Oh, Jack, I love him,” Ianto replied, “thank you.”

Jack leant forward, kissing Ianto softly. “Merry Christmas, Ianto Jones.”

There it was again. _I’m going to marry this man_. “I’m going to get his stuff from the car,” Jack announced, leaving Ianto with the puppy.

“Oh, you are gorgeous,” Ianto cooed as he let Buddy explore the living room, sitting on the floor with his back against the sofa, “I think we’re going to get on well, don’t you?” He stroked back Buddy’s fur as the dog walked by. “I’m definitely taking you into work. Gwen is gonna _love_ you."

Buddy sniffed around, beginning to bark excitedly as Jack walked back in, only his legs visible under the sheer number of dog-related things he had bought. “Jesus, Jack, how much stuff does one dog need?” Ianto chuckled, standing up to help him.

“I got overexcited,” Jack admitted sheepishly.

“That’s cute,” Ianto smiled, picking out a ball and waving it at Buddy. “Hey, Buddy, what’s this? What’s this?”

Buddy yapped excitedly, jumping at Ianto’s legs, and Ianto tossed the ball down the hallway. Buddy sprinted after it, skidding to a stop and sliding past the ball before scrambling back and grabbing it, skittering back towards Ianto.

“I think he likes it,” Jack chuckled. Ianto fought Buddy for the (very slobbery) ball before throwing it down the hallway again.

That evening, Ianto and Buddy fell asleep before Jack on the sofa midway through _Elf_ , Ianto’s head resting on Jack’s chest and Buddy curled up on Jack’s stomach. Jack smiled to himself, kissing Ianto’s head.

**Christmas Day**

Ianto _did_ get Jack a jumper, as Gwen had first suggested, among other things, as a cover for his actual gift. It was a tan cable knit jumper that, to Ianto’s surprise, Jack actually _liked_ , electing to wear it with jeans instead of his usual getup.

“Wow,” Ianto said as Jack walked through with his outfit, “I feel like I’m staring at a whole different man.”

“I know, right?” Jack smirked.

“Should we take Buddy for a walk?” Ianto suggested, “show him the Bay?”

Jack smiled. “Sure.”

Ianto felt like he might throw up as he, Jack and Buddy walked along the Bay, nervously turning over the ring box in his coat pocket while Jack kept ahold of Buddy’s lead. Buddy was excitedly sniffing everything, happily skipping along.

They came to a stop to look out across the Bay, Buddy sniffing the railing Jack and Ianto leant on. _Now or never_ , Ianto told himself, deciding to pull the oldest trick in the book. “Hey, what’s that over there?”

Jack glanced to where Ianto was pointing, seeing nothing but a frosty blue sky over Cardiff. “What? I don’t see anyth—” Jack turned back to find Ianto no longer standing beside him, instead, he was on one knee, nervously looking up at Jack with an open ring box.

“Jack Harkness,” Ianto said, praying his voice was steady, “will you marry me?”

There was a pause. “Ianto…” Jack managed to stutter out, not in denial, but in surprise. He’d never had this happen to him before.

“I know our relationship isn’t exactly normal,” Ianto said, standing up, “and I know that I am getting older and you aren’t. I know that, one day, I will die, and you won’t. You’ll keep going.” He took Jack’s hands in his, “we know that. We know that’s the inevitable and we can’t avoid it. I want to grow old next to you, and if you’ll have me, I want you to make the most of it with me.” He slipped the ring onto Jack’s finger.

Jack blinked, before Buddy’s yap snapped him back. “I guess we’re getting married,” he grinned.

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes, you idiot,” Jack grabbed Ianto, kissing him before pulling him into a warm hug. “Ah, Ianto Jones, I love you.”

“And I love you, too, Jack.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed me living out my romance goals through Janto fic, and you (might) be pleased to know this fic WILL have a second part to it with CONSIDERABLY more Buddy content.


End file.
